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(-No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. A. TOWER. GAR GOUPLING.

No. 521,092. Patented June 5, 1894.

WITNESSES INYENTOR THE NATIONAL LITNOGRAPHXNG couPAnv.

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(-No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. A. TOWER.

GAR COUPLING No. 521,092. Patented June 5, 1894.

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WITNESSES ms runomu. LITHOGRAPHING cc (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

'0. A. TOWER.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 521,092. Patented June 5, 1894.

WITNESSES INVENTOR warm icmkem.

( No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

I C. A. TOWER.

GAR COUPLING. No. 521,092. Patnted June 5, 1894.

.NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON A. TOWER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLECASTINGS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING. .1

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 521,092, dated. June 5,1894. I Application filed March 26, 1894. Serial No. 505,135- (Nomodel.)

of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and- State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is a plan view of twoof my im proved couplers, A and B, the coupler A being shown with itsknuckle in unlocked and open position, and the knuckle of the coupler.

B being shown in locked position. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section of oneof the couplers, the section being on the line IIII of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa vertical cross-section on the lines III-III of Figs. 1 and 2, showingthe coupler when the knuckle is locked. Fig. 4 is a similar view showingthe knuckle un locked and open. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 3,showing the locking-block upheld by riding on the rear arm of theknuckle; and Fig. 6 is a plan View showing a coupler of modifiedconstruction embodying my invention, the knuckle of the coupler being inopen position.

My invention relates to an improvement upon a car coupler for which Ihave obtained Letters Patent No. 507,511, dated October 24,

1893. In the said patent I described a twinjaw coupler having a swingingknuckle, combined with a locking and opening device, consisting of asingle angled piece set without fixed pivot in a recess in thecoupler-head in which it is movable vertically, said looking and openingdevice having three'members, viz., a head which engages the front of theknuckle when locked, an arm extending over the knuckle, and a second armextending vertically back of the tail of the knuckle and fitting withina guide-hole at the base of the cou pler-head when the knuckle islocked; said locking andopening device being capable of an initialvertical motion without substantial radial motion in order to first freeits head, and the coupler recess being provided with a shoulder adaptedto engage said device in its continued motion and tocause it to tipradially in order to open the knuckle.

, In the use of the coupler of said patent, if

the device be unlocked when the coupler is connected with the coupler ofanother car, the angled piece can be raised vertically so as to lift itshead above the level of the tail of the knuckle, but cannot be raisedfar enough to tip it radially in the manner above described; so thatwhen the knuckle is then swung open, and the angled piece subsesequentlydropped, its head will assume aposition back of the tail of the knuckleand in the path of its return motion. When the knuckle is swung backagain into locked position in the act of coupling with another car, theangled piece must be raised by the engagement of a beveled surface onits head with the knuckles tail, so as to permit the tail to passbeneath the head and to the rear thereof. This requires an extra motion,and such motion, together with the friction and jarring which resulttherefrom, are avoided in my present improvement, in which the tail ofthe knuckle is so constructed that the looking device cannot drop so asto bring its head to the rear of the tail and to require subsequentlifting as above described. This constitutes the first part or item ofmyinvention.

I shall now proceed to describe my invention so that others may apply itto use, prefacing the same with a description of such parts of thecoupler described and claimed in my patent above cited, as may benecessary to a complete understanding of the improvement.

In'the drawings, A and B are two couplerheads,which, in general, may beof the usual typeJ Each coupler-head has two jaws 3 and 4:, and isprovided with an internal cavity or recess extending laterally into thejaw 4., and

l A in Fig. 1, the brakeman raises the chain 8 tion of the tail of theknuckle, whereupon the rear of the knuckle and adapted to pass through aguide-hole g in the floor of the cou pier-head when the knuckle islocked.

8 is a lifting-chain or link extending from the head 7 up through thetop of the couplerhead. W hen the knuckle is locked as shown in Figs. 2and 3, the member 6 is above the tail of the knuckle, the head 7 fits infront of it and bears against a shoulder h on the coupler-head, and thearm f of the angled piece fits within the guide-hole g. To release theknuckle and to permit it to be swung-intethe open position shown at thecoupler-head and thus lifts the angled piece until its head passes abovethe path of the horizontal methe knuckle can be swung open, either bydirect action of the hand or by continuing the lifting of the angledpiece until a notch 'i on the upper side of its member 6 engages aprojecting rib or shoulder 9 on the coupler-head, whereupon the angledpiece will tip radially in a vertical plane in a direction transverse tothe length of the draw-bar, asshown in Fig. The radial motion of theangled piece, by bringing its rearwardly dependent arm into action uponthe rear side of the tail of the knuckle, will move it outwardly by apositive action into open position. When the angled piece is releasedafter the knuckle has been opened, the end of its arm f will drop uponand be supported by the floor of the coupler. After the knuckle has beenswung open and the lifting chain released, the angled piece remains inthe position shown in Fig. 4 until the knuckle is swung back into lockedposition by the act of coupling or otherwise, whereupon the rear side ofthe tail of the knuckle will engage the arm f and will move the angledpiece so as to carry the arm back toward a vertical position until itslower end comes into register with the hole 9, when the angled piecewill drop by gravity, its arm f entering the hole and its head 7adjusting itself in. front of the knuckle-tail, thus locking theknuckle, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and at-the coupler-head B in Fig. 1.

The parts above described are shown and 1 claimed in my prior patentabove referred to, and, as stated in said patent, the use of said angledpiece, which as a single-actingdevice accomplishes the double functionof rising to free the knuckle and of swinging radially to move it openwithout the accession of CEtlIlSj or levers, is distinctly new and is ofgreat utility. The simplification of construction and the increasedsafety and durability of the coupler obtained by means of this singleand individual body, with its unique attributes while at rest, and whilein action, and which in the proper order, at the proper time, and in anovel manner, performs satisfactorily all the necessary functions oflocking, unlocking andopening the knuckle, distinguish the invention ofsaid patent practically from all In order to prevent the swinging ofthetail of the knuckle in front of the head 7 and the dropping of thehead back of the tail, I provide the tail with a lateral projection orarm 10, which extends horizontally and transversely from the end of .thetail, and is of such length that when the knuckle is swung open as shownat the coupler-headA in Fig. l, the end of this arm shall not passbeyond thehead 7,but shall occupy an intermediary position between thehead and floor of the coupler. -Therefore, if for any reason the knuckleshould be released by the lifting of the angled piece far enough toclear the knuckles tail, but not far enough to lift its armf from thehole g, and if then the knuckle should be swung open, the angled piececannot drop so as to bring it behind the tailand in the path of itsreturn motion, but it will be supported by the projecting intermediaryarm, as shown in Fig. 5. Ina large number of instances, however, theangled piece is not supported by the intermediary arm, for when theconditions permit it to be raised sufficiently, not only to free it fromthe knuckle, but to tip it radially and to move the knuckle open, the

bearing of the lower end of its arm f upon the floor of the coupler-headwill support the angled piece when it is permitted to drop thereon.

The second part of my invention consists of improved means for upholdingthe lockin g and opening device so that it shall not be in actualcontact with nor supported bythe tail of the knuckle when the latter islocked. It is desirable that it should he thus supported independentlyof the knuckle, because otherwise it is more apt to be displaced by thejarring of the coupler when the car is in the act of coupling. I show inthe drawings two devices for this purpose, both of which may be used andare intended to be included in the claims of this specification, buteither of which may be used alone. On the rear side of the arm f of theangled piece there is a vertical recess 12 (shown in section in Fig. 4),and within the coupler-head there is an inwardly projecting horn orshoulder 13, these parts being so related in position to each other thatwhen the coupler is locked the horn shall engage the upper end of therecess and shall support the angled piece as shown by dotted lines inFig. 3. As an alternative construction for accomplishing the samepurpose, I may provide the coupler-head at the lower end of theguide-hole g with a shoulder 14 on which the extreme end of the arm f ofthe angled piece rests when the coupler is locked and by which theangled piece is supported free of the tail of the knuckle. Othermodifications of this partof my invention may be made, the essentialprinciple being that the locking and opening device is supported-at apoint below the surface of the transverse member 6 by a shoulder orequivalent construction within the coupler-head.

prior devices known to me.

The third item of my invention consists in means for limiting theswinging or radial motion of the angled locking and opening de-.

vice, so that in moving the knuckle open it can not be tipped far enoughto cause it to complish this result is to so relate the throw of thetail of the knuckle to thelimit of the opening motion afforded by theusual stop 18, that when at completely open position, the rear arm ofthe knuckle may itself act as a stop to prevent the radial swing of theangled locking and opening device beyond its proper limit.

In the second construction by which I may accomplish the above statedresult of preventing the tipping of the locking and opening device farenough to cause it to jam in the recess of the coupler head, I cause thelifting-chain 8 to pass through the hole 15 in the top of thecoupler-head, which hole is of shape formed of two intersecting slots sothat it shall serve as a guide for the links of the chain. On the upperside of the head 7 of the angled piece is a shoulder 16, the inclinationand position of which are such that when the angled piece has beenlifted and the last link of the chain is in the hole 15, the inner sideof said shoulder shall engage the link as shown in Fig. 4, and shallpress against one side of the same, forcing the other side of the linkagainst the wall of the cross slot of the hole 15, and thus jamming itso as to prevent further tipping or swinging motion of the angled piece.This construction is one that is very desirable in that it is simple andis altogether reliable in its action.

In order. to prevent the lifting-chain 8from dropping within the hole 15too far, in case its connection with the operating lever ortumbling-shaft should be broken, I provide it with a stop-link 17, theaction of which is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

I have provided a construction of coupler head and locking device, sothat although the latter is inclosed in the coupler-head and can not beseen when the knuckle is unlocked, it

, comes into view immediately upon the locking of the knuckle by reasonof the projection of the lower end of its armfinto the guidehole g, andis not visible at any other time. This enables the trainmen to tell at aglance whether or not the coupler is locked, and therefore is of greatutility.

In Fig. 6 I show a modified constructionof the coupler, in which the jaw4 is of greater length than in Fig. 1,and the coupler-head is formedwith an internal lateral recess or housing 11, into which theintermediary arm 10 extends when the knuckle is locked, but as it isdesirable for many reasons that the operation of the knuckle should notbeimpeded by the bearing of this arm against the front of the recess, Iprovide sufficient clearance space to permit the knuckle to swing freelywithout contact of its sustaining arm with this part of thecoupler-head. I

The advantages of the several parts of my improvement will beappreciated by those skilled in the use of car-couplers; and within thescope of my invention as defined in the following claims, modificationsmay be made in the form, construction and position of the parts, andsome features of my invention used without the others, since What Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car coupler, a swinging knuckle, a

locking device including as-one of its members a locking head adapted tofit over the tail of the knuckle, and a downwardly projecting memberadapted to be swung laterally to open the knuckle, means whereby saidlocking device is given a limited initial vertical motion, the length ofthe locking head and the amount of vertical movement of which the deviceis capable, being so related that said initial vertical motion frees thelocking head from the knuckle, whereby the knuckle may be swung withoutradial movement of the locking device, said knuckle having a projectingarm extending when closed in a plane transversely from the end of saidtail, and adapted when the knuckle is swung open, to support the lockingdevice; substantially as described.

2. A coupler having a'swinging knuckle and a radially movable angledlocking and opening device having means for lifting it to clear theknuckle and for tipping it subsequently to open the same, said knucklehaving a horizontally and transversely projecting intermediary arm ofsuch length and position, that, as the knuckle is swung open, said armshall continue to occupy a position beneath said device to prevent itfrom dropping back of the tail of the knuckle, the arms of said lockingdevice being of such relative lengths that saiddevice is supported inits tilted position by the floor of the couplerhead alone and beingsupported by said arm alone when the knuckle has been opened withoutradial motion of the angled device.

3. In a coupler having aswinging knuckle with a tail piece, a lockingdevice having a locking head engaging the tail piece and having thetransverse member 6 and the verti cal memberf with means for moving thelatter radially against the tail of the knuckle to force the latteroutwardly, said coupler head being provided with a shoulder located 4..In a coupler having aswinging knuckle with a tail piece, the couplerhead having the shoulder 13, the locking device carrying a head engagingthe tail piece and having the transverse and vertical members, thelatter being provided with the recess, the upper end of which is adaptedto engage the shouling as a stop to prevent radial motion of the derwhereby the transverse member is kept angled piece beyond apredetermined limit; from contact with the knuckle; substantiallysubstantially as described.

as described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set- 5 5. In acoupler, the combination of a swingmy hand.

ing knuckle having a rearwardly extending CLINTON A TOWFR arm and aradially movable angled piece which moves in a vertical plane Within theWitnesses:

coupler-head, and is adapted to engage the O. K. BROOKS, to rear arm ofthe knuckle, said rear arm serv- D. \V. CALL.

